Air-conditioned furniture article



26, R. VIGO 2,782,834

AIR-'CONDITIQNED FURNITURE .ARTICLE Filed. May 27, 1955 4 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. @cH/7g' R. V/go Feb. 26, 1957 B. R. VIGO AIR-CONDITION@ FURNITURE ARTICLE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 27, 1955 INVENTOR. en/7g. R l//go WZm/Lazqwwnaz v' Aforfvegs AllR-CQNDITINED FURNITURE ARTICLE Benny Richard Vigo, Tampa, Fla.

Application May 27, 1955, Serial No. 511,549

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-1) The present invention relates to a furniture article of the type having a supporting surface for an individual in either an upright or a reclining position and provided with means for supplying heated air thereto. More particularly, the invention relates to a chair structure.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a furniture article of the type having a supporting surface for an individual in either an upright or a reclin ing position in which meansV is provided for supplying treated air to such surface.

Anotherobject of the present invention is to provide a furniture article such as a chair or other seat having a self-contained air-conditioning unit and an automatic control for energizing the unit when a person seats himself.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an air-conditioned chair of simple structure, vsturdy in construction, one economical to manufacture and assem ble, and one which is highly etfective in action.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the annexed drawings, in which:

Figure l is a side view in elevation of a rst embodiment of the present invention,

Figure 2 is a side view in cross-section of the embodiment shown in Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an isometric view of the chair of the em bodiment shown in Figures 1 and 2 and showing the chair partially broken away to show its construction,

Figure 4 is a side view in cross-section of a portion of a chair of a second embodiment of the present invention, and

Figure 5 is a greatly reduced side elevational view of a third embodiment of the present invention showing a chair connected to a source of treated air under pressure.

Referring in greater detail to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, in Figures 1 to 3, inclusive, a first embodiment of the present invention is shown and is seen to consist in a chair having an upright hollow base having an open top, and a hollow seat 12 and a hollow back 13 arranged in superimposed relation with respect to the base 10 with the seat 12 bridging and supported on the open top of.

the base 1i?.

An opening 11 is provided in the lower wall 14 of the seat 12 and connects the seat with the interior of the base. A partition 15 in the seat 12 is provided with spaced apertures 16 and a partition 17 in the back is also provided with spaced apertures 18. The apertures 16 and 1S in the partitions 15 and 17, respectively, permit the flow of air from the opening in the lower wall 14 of the seat into a space between the partitions and the top wall 19, the latter being fabricated of a flexible, reticulated material, such as mesh cloth, mesh or perforated plastic, or the like, and extends over and encloses both the seat 12 and the back 13 a spaced distance therefrom, and is movable toward and away from the seat bottom wall.

lso

2,782,834 Patented F eb. 26, 11557` A plurality of springs 20 together with a layer of perforated padding 21 form cushion assemblies disposed between the partition 15 of the seat 12 and the adjacent portion of the top wall 19 and between the partition 17 of the back 13 and the other portion of the top Wall 19.

Within the base is an upright partition 22 one one side of which is a compressor portion of an air-conditioning unit which has its expansion or evaporator coils (not shown) laid horizontally in the throat of a plenum chamber 24 spaced from and above the fan of a motor fan assembly 25.

A louver panel 26 covers an opening in the side wall of the base 10 and permits the flow of air inwardly to the interior of the base to where it will be forced by the fan of the motor fan assembly 25 upwardly over the evaporator coils of the air-conditioning unit and through the opening in the lower wall of the seat 12, thence outwardly through the apertures 16 and 18 in the partitions 15 and 17, respectively, and through the openings in the top wall to cool a person seated thereon.

An automatic control means is provided and consists in a pair of normally open contacts 27 and 28 arranged in the space between the partition 15 of the seat 12 adjacent the front edge thereof and the adjacent portion of the top wall 19 of the seat, the one contact 27 being movable and carried by the padding 21 and the other contact 28 being fixed and supported upon the partition 15 so that when a person seats himself the contacts close and set into operation the air-conditioning unit and the motor of the motor fan assembly.

Preferably the seat and back of the first embodiment is supported upon transverse rails 29 and the upholstering fabric extends completely over the back and down over the front and side walls of the base excepting the opening under the louver. An inspection and servicing panel 30 is hingedly connected to the rear wall of the base 1li over an opening therethrough and is fabricated of a mesh material to permit circulation of air through the interior of the base to cool the condenser coils of the compressor portion 23 of the air-conditioning unit.

A plug-in cable 31 is provided for connecting the airconditioning unit and fan motor to a source of electrical power.

In the chair of the second embodiment shown in Figure 4, the base 32 encloses only a motor fan assembly 33 to force the air upwardly and through the seat and back of the chair 34. A louver panel 34' permits the iioW of outside air inwardly to the base 32. This form is for use in theaters, auditoriums, and in other places where the air in the room is treated by an air-conditioning unit.

In the third embodiment shown in Figure 5, the chair 35 is shown having its base 36 connected by the conduit 37 to a supply conduit 38 within a Wall structure 39, there being a source of treated air under pressure connected to the supply conduit 35.

A heating element may be positioned in the base of the chair shown in Figures l to 3, inclusive, in order that the seat and back cushion assemblies of the chair be warmed when desired, and a temperature control 4i) shown to be positioned in Figure 1 on one arm of the chair is incorporated in the electrical circuit of the airconditioning unit and the heating element to control the temperature of the air forced through the chair.

ln the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5, a motor fan assembly 41, shown in dotted line in that figure, may be controlled by a similar pair of contacts 27 and 28 (not shown) so that only the chairs which are occupied and so equipped will be cooled, the motor fan assembly 41 serving to draw the air from the supply conduit 38.

In the first embodiment of Figures'l to 3, the fan on;4

thgnlotgr fanassernbly is positioned in the lower end of Qlllllm. Chamber While inthe other embodiments shown and described, the fan is positioned in a conduit depending from the opening in the seat bottom wall.

i .Although ,meint/felation. has` been specifically described in conneettonwith achain other furniture strides, ssen as sogas@ settees, divans, couches, and, even otiice furniture, rrtay be construetedraccording to the present invention and PXQYided wi thetair-.treating means heretofore described.

Whetis C. .imedisr 17,.- Achai-r comprising a hollow upstanding base having @11.919611 p endian opening inthe side wall thereof for the admSSQu 0f outside air therein, a hollow seat including at XQ; bQttQnl Wall and a top Wall movable towardV and away from the bottom wall positioned so that thc bottom wall bridges and isy supported upon the open top of said base, there being provided an opening in the bottom wall of; said Seat, a QQrlduit dependingfrom the opening in said seat bottom wall, an air conditioning unit within said base operable to c ool, the air in said conduit, a hollow back rising4 from the rear edge of said seat and connected in communication therewith, there being reticulated openings inA saidvseat topwall and' in the front wall of said back, a motor fan assembly positioned within said conduit so that the,` fan directs airl towardv and through said bottom wall seat-opening, avsource of electric current connected to the motor of` saidassembly, a first contact positioned within andlixedly carried by said yseat and electrically connected tosaidvsource, anda second contact positioned within and depcndinglycarried by said seat top wall and movable into contact, with said rst contact in response to the weight applied'to said seat top wall by an occupant when seated on said seat toclose. the circuit and energize said fan motor assembly.

2; Achair comprising a hollow upstanding base having an open top and an opening in the side wall thereof for the admission of outside air therein, a hollow seat including a xed bottom wall and a top wall movable toward and away from the said bottom wall positioned so that the bottom wall bridges and is supported upon the open top of said base, there being provided an opening in the bottom wall of said seat, a conduit depending from the opening in said seat bottom wall, an air-conditioning unit within said base operable to cool the air in said conduit, a hollow back rising from the rear edge of said seat and connected in communication therewith, there being reticulated openings in said seat top wall and in the front wall of said back, a motor fan assembly positioned within said conduit so that the fan directs air toward and through said bottom wall 'seat opening, a source of electric current connected to the motor of said assembly, a rst contact positioned within and xedly carried by said seat and electrically connected to said source, a second contact positioned within and dependingly carried by the said seat top. wall' andi movable into contact with the first contact in response to the weight applied to said seat top wall by an occupant when seated on said seat to close the circuit and energize said' fan motor assembly, and a spring cushion assembly interposed between said top and bottom walls of said seat urging saidtop wall away from said bottom wall.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,066,773 Wills July 8, 1913 2,022,959 Gordon Dec. 3, 1,935 2,544,506 Kronhausv Mar. 6, 1951 2,587,731 Irving Mar. 4, 1952 2,703,134 Mossor Mar. 1, 1955 

